Trousers are typically worn with the waistband roughly corresponding to the waist of the person wearing the trousers. The trousers are typically maintained in this position by a belt received within belt loops, which are integrated into the waistband of the trousers, or with suspenders which reach over the shoulders or around the neck and grasp the trousers at or near the waistband. Examples of suspenders are provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,026,516; 5,774,899; 5,682,619; 5,623,735; 5,036,549 and 4,850,057.
In a more recent development it has become common for trousers to be worn which are to large in the waist and therefore sag, or drop, substantially below the waist of the person wearing the trousers. Due to the excessive size of the trousers worn they tend to drop so low as to be a nuisance for the wearer due to the requirement that one hand to be allocated to maintaining the trousers in a position which prohibits them from falling well below the intended level. In some cases a belt is worn but the trousers are typically at or below the widest portion of the hips and therefore a belt must be uncomfortably tight to maintain the trousers in a reasonable position or the trousers must be pulled up to their standard position which defeats the purpose of wearing the trousers below the waist. Suspenders are not considered acceptable due to the weight of the suspenders on the shoulders and the fact that when sitting the excess suspender material tends to bunch and become unsightly. Sagging double bottom pants have been described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,689,832 but these have not been acceptable due, in part, to the excess material which causes the pants to be warmer and the lack of acceptability as a fashion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,069 describes a garter for maintaining socks in an up right position. Pants typically fall down in the rear first and therefore the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,069 would be insufficient to work for securing pants.
There has been a desire in the art for an apparatus, and method, for supporting trousers below the waist while not creating an unsightly appearance exceeding that of the trousers and visible undergarments.